


The Tale of a Magickal Bard and Her Adventures (DRAFT)

by Green_Arrow1



Series: Disney Love(Lesbian) [1]
Category: Frozen (2013), Maleficent (2014), Once Upon a Time (TV), Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Sleeping Beauty Fusion, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bad Flirting, Crossover, Curiosity, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Fairy Tale Curses, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Male-Female Friendship, Possible Character Death, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-06-29 09:44:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15726894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Green_Arrow1/pseuds/Green_Arrow1
Summary: CURRENTLY WORKING ON A DIFFERENT SUMMARY. HERE'S THE OLD ONE:Gentle fingers ran through your hair as they weaved flowers through your tresses. The autumn breeze bristled passed your ears, tickling you causing you to laugh."What are you laughing about, little bird?" Her voice, as was her fingers, gentle yet strong through her accent. You tilted your head to glance at the beautiful fairy before you and shrugged."I was thinking about how we first met." You said before shifting yourself to lean next to her. You placed your weight on her shoulder and you could feel a chuckle ripple within her. "You remember still?" You asked, and you could feel her nod. "Of course, you were the most annoying human I've encountered." You laughed again, "I still am, lovely. You just learnt how to deal with it.""I find it endearing now. I remember how intolerable you were to me. I couldn't stand you."





	1. Chapter 1

_**Maleficent/Female! Sorceress Reader** _

_**‘The Tale of a Magickal Bard and Her Adventures’ Chapter 1** _

_**A mix of Maleficent 2014 and Sleeping Beauty** _

  
_Author’s note: Just be aware that this is actually a Maleficent/Female Reader request, but I decided to turn it into a mini-series just because I love Maleficent that much! :) Please enjoy._

* * *

 

Running away from the palace, a sack full of royal jewels in your hands, you made your way past the guards.

 

It was almost like stealing candy from a baby, easy. They barely had any protection for the treasury room and it was so easy to infiltrate the building as a maid.—Just Bat your pretty eyes to guards and you could make it through.

 

When you finally left the palace grounds is when you heard a horn sound off. You panicked, cursing to yourself. You had hoped you would be far enough before they did that, but your luck was not always on your side. You decided your best chance was to make your way to the woods and; then, camp in the moors until it was safe.

 

You struggled your way through the thick shrubbery of the dark forest. It was hard to trek at night and your vision wasn’t the best as it was. You had to put your other senses to the test and feel your way out. A few stray branches scraped against you but you did not stop. The sound of voices just a kilometer behind you pushes you forward.

 

Your legs started to burn when you narrowly escaped the woods. You were getting close to the border of the moors. Just a few minutes left and you should be free.

 

You could see the thick vines ahead of you. Darker than night and sharp enough to pierce human flesh. No one could cut their way past it, except you.

 

Being a human sorceress in training helped you significantly when it came to barrier spells. And lucky for you that was your specialty. It was a lame thing to specialize in, but it certainly helped for a thief like you.

 

Pulling a hand under the brown sack, you pointed forward, whispering an incantation, hands glowing with white, hot magick. A section of the maze glowed a dark green, resisting the purge of white magick. The spell fizzled and you began to sweat profusely.

 

_‘Damn that wasn’t supposed to happen.’_

 

You struggled around your pockets and pulled out a shoddy wooden wand that contained a tiny stone on the top. It wasn’t the best, but it was good for now. You saved a great amount of your mana within the stick and carried it around just in case your spells failed. In this case, it would be a great help.

 

The neighing of horses and scattered chatter alerted you of how close the palace guards were to catch you. Shakingly lifting the wand in the air, pointing it towards the vines, you spoke the incantation, magick glowing from the wand to the vines. A faint vein of green glowed around it. You prayed silently in your head to the goddess, hoping the spell would make the maze release itself from its hold.

 

A few moments of praying and the vines slowly let up their hold, descending below the muddy surface. You grinned, releasing a heavy breath. You quickly ran to the other side of the moors, the vines pulling themselves up once again, as sturdy as ever.

 

You walked a bit more into the moors, getting further away from the border and into the murky darkness. The moors were once rumored to be a bright beautiful place, but that was hard to believe because how different it is now. It was still beautiful in its own way; Its own wonders beyond that of human grip.

 

You looked for something that resembled shelter. Something that could hold you until you could find somewhere better. It was easy, there were big trees and few clumped together. You sat underneath a willow. The willow hung low enough to give you cover. Even if it wasn’t the greatest shelter, you have slept in worse before. You rested the jewelry against a huge root and nestled yourself near it. The burning sensation in your legs continued until it seized into a pulsing pain. You sighed, knowing you were going to be sore the next day.

 

Your eyes shut tightly, reminding yourself of the day you had ahead of you. Drifting to a light sleep, narrowly missing a crow that flew above before flying away.

 

* * *

 

The moors had many tiny lakes, rivers, and ponds. Freshwater was always near whenever you needed it, and damn did you need it.

 

Sitting next to a tiny stream of chilled water, you gluttoned yourself upon the crispness of the water; Gulping down each handful before feeling satisfied. The apples you grabbed a tree on the way here was nestled nicely in your pockets as you preceded to pull one out and take a bite.

 

In the distance, a faint caw could be heard. You glance up and noticed it was coming your way. You looked away, seeing nothing wrong with it and continued to munch on your apple. The crow grew closer, and soon a nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach told you to run. You ignored it shakingly as it washed over you fully when you peered up once again. With your appetite gone, you threw the remains of your Apple away and stood on your feet. Rubbing the stickiness away on your skirt, you contemplated where to go next, still ignoring the deep feeling of anxiety in your gut.

 

What happened next could have totally been avoided if you listened to your instincts. A flash of green flame appeared in front of you, sweeping you in surprise. You managed to stay on your feet but you dropped the bag you were holding. You hurriedly reached for your wand, which was securely placed in your pocket and gripped it tightly. Your heart pounded against your ribcage to the point where you could hear its ringing in your ears. Anxiety, sweat, and adrenaline coated your being.

 

The smoke fled and out appeared a figure with horns, a tall staff, darkly clothed. She stood before you, menacing presence of power and confidence in the air that surrounded her. The crow from earlier landed on her right shoulder; cawing at the sight of your form.

 

“It seems we have a little bird missing from her cage.” Her voice, just as powerful, purred.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Maleficent/Female! Sorceress Reader_ **

**_‘The Tale of a Magickal Bard and Her Adventures’ Chapter 2_ **

**_A mix of Maleficent 2014 and Sleeping Beauty_ **

* * *

_The smoke fled and out appeared a figure with horns, a tall staff, darkly clothed. She stood before you, menacing presence of power and confidence in the air that surrounded her. The crow from earlier landed on her right shoulder; cawing at the sight of your form._

 

_“It seems we have a little bird missing from her cage.” Her voice, just as powerful, purred._

 

…

Intimidation, that was what you felt when you heard her speak. The crow seemed to reply to her, in his own language, agreeing.

 

  
“I don’t want any trouble…” You said, trying to make yourself appear bigger than you were. Your eyes flashed dangerously to intimidate, but that only seemed to amuse her. She cracked a smirk, eyes glimmered gold.

 

  
“You’ve received trouble when you arrived, dear.—Into my territory, along with angry human guards.” You gulped, “Yeah, about that….” She interrupted you, “I can throw you over the vines into their clutches. You’ll be arrested and maybe even executed for treason. I could also kill you now if I please.”

 

  
“You probably shouldn’t.”

 

“Pray tell, why should I not do either of those things?” She was right. Why would she have a reason not to kill you, you invaded into her territory; there was a wall of vines for a reason. But the thing is, you didn’t want to die. You didn’t have a good reason why, but you were willing to convince the enchantress to spare you.

 

  
“Because….” Her arched eyebrow slanted upwards in questioning.

 

  
“Because then you won’t have anyone else here.”

 

  
“Why would you think I would enjoy your company?” wickedly cool and collected tone whipped you in the face. It was hard to bargain with someone who seems okay with loneliness.  
“I was once a bard. I sang many songs and told many stories. I’ve met plenty of people from different lands with wild tales of adventure. I could entertain your land with my company.” you gave a flattering smile and batted your lashes.

 

  
It didn’t faze her in the slightest. You laughed nervously. She seemed….annoyed. Your body started to shake. “Trust me when I say that you will never be bored when I’m around.” The woman remained silent, you could feel her measuring you up, wondering if you were even worth her time. At this point, the need to run seized your body. You had to rear your mind, screaming to be still. If you run, it would be the end of you.

 

  
“Let’s strike a deal,” you offered. The woman smirked in displeasure, walking closer towards you before speaking, “What do you have in mind?” She asked, rather amused once more. You quivered, her smile sending shivers down your spine, more so than a breeze of brisk air ever could. This woman was dangerous, you knew, but you could feel drawn to her. It was a pull, slight but still there.

 

  
“You give me a chance, I’ll tell you stories and sing you songs, and if you find it the slightest entertaining then you allow me to live.” It was a far-fetched deal, but it was your only chance. Beggars can’t be choosers anyways. “What a deal, that is, little bird. You’ve seemed to amuse me enough so far. I’d like to see how far you would go to keep your life.” That was it. She agreed, which surprised you. “Oh…alright. Well, I have a good story to start off then.” You said, marching up next to her, “but first, I need to know your name.”

 

  
“Maleficent.” Beautiful and cruel all at once, the name meant evil. You wanted to see how far her name went, seeing if it were really true.

 

  
“(Y/n), nice to meet you Maleficent.” You tried to be friendly, smiling at the enchantress before you. “Displeasure is all mine, dear.” There it was. You sighed and she started walking, the crow that was silent before was still watching you. You stared at it, before speaking, “I can tell you the story of my time in Arendelle.” You mentioned, the woman seemed to show no interest, but somehow you knew that she was listening with regard.

 

  
“It was nice there, winter was brutal, but overall the spring was warm for it being up north. There were two beautiful princesses, Anna and Elsa. Actually, technically Elsa is a Queen.  
Anna was the youngest, with Elsa being the oldest.

 

  
Elsa was special, like us she has magic. Hers being more ice centered. It was beautiful to witness. Before my travel there, Elsa actually lost control of her powers and froze all of Arendelle, but her little sister was able to help her control them over again. So, then here is where I come in.

 

  
I was traveling up north, wanting to see more of the world. I met Elsa and Anna, long story short. Everything was nice and peaceful for two weeks until Elsa stumbled upon a magic vase. Once it was opened, out came a beautiful woman who claimed to be their aunt.

 

  
Her name was Ingrid. She had ice magic like Elsa but seemed to segregate Anna when she spent time in the castle. She started filling Elsa’s head up with lies about Anna and I. Saying we hate her, etc. we caught on eventually. We found out she wanted the kingdom to herself, thinking Elsa was an unfit ruler and planned a coup. Anna, her boyfriend and I sabotaged her plan and I used my magic to seal her up in another vase. This time, we made sure to keep the vase in a locked up room in the castle, heavily guarded.”

 

  
Maleficent seemed interested now, asking questions about Arendelle, Queen Elsa, and Ingrid. You answered all of them happily. You started to love this agreement, telling stories is what made you become a bard in the first place. You loved the wonderment people had when you spun your tale. The questions, the answers, the longing for adventure that they couldn’t achieve, it was all in the job description. Maleficent started to warm up to you, finding you more interesting than before. You felt giddy at this, ready to tell more stories of your previous adventures.

 

“Say, Maleficent, have you ever been to Greece?” You asked.

 

“I can’t say that I have.” She replied.

 

  
“Oh, it’s absolutely beautiful there! They take art so seriously it’s amazing, everywhere you go there are tall spires and marble statues of gods and goddesses. Oracle temples on the islands, even the bathhouses are extravagant. Every single part of Greece has a story to it. I could tell you them all.”

 

  
Maleficent was quiet as if expecting you to tell her. Even her crow seemed interested, you first ran over to a large rock and sat comfortably. You motioned them over, inviting them to sit with you. “The stories are best told sitting down.” Maleficent made herself comfortable on a large rock, covered in comfortable moss and her bird nestled itself into a tree above.

 

  
You tapped your chin, “Alright….where do I start… Have you heard the tale of Hercules?”

  
“Yes, actually I have.” You frowned, racking your brain. “Alright, well, maybe I’ll tell you something you don’t know. My story of traveling there wasn’t easy.

 

  
I was traveling with a group of people. They had a mission somewhere, they planned to hunt down a bunch of werewolves down south. I agreed to accompany them because I want to be in Rome and Greece.

 

  
On the way there, we were attacked by a band of bandits. It was a group that had ravaged the neighboring land for a few years. They were all rugged and strong, but they didn’t realize I had an ace up my sleeve. We were all tied up and robbed of our money. I couldn’t possibly let them get away, especially since the hunters were so nice and I had grown attached to all of them.  
At night, when we all got rid of our bonds, I did a little scouting. I found the camp of the bandits in a cave a couple of miles away deep in the forest. Cloaked in an invisibility spell, I sabotaged them, setting fire to their camp and taking all of the stolen goods. Most of them survived…I think.

 

  
I returned to the hunters, happy and loaded. They all seemed thankful to have their things returned, along with a little extra coin for themselves. It was a good evening altogether.”

 

“When we finally reached Greece, give or take a few more days journey, I was happy and impressed by the art and riches they had. As you can see my fancy for nice things.” You mentioned, motioning to the stolen jewels you had stowed away in the brown sack you kept. Maleficent smiled. It was brief but real. You wanted to draw it and memorize it personally. It was so….fantastic. Mesmerizing, enchanting, beautiful. All the words in a simple thesaurus came about in your head. You almost lost complete thought, but suddenly remembered you were in the middle of something.

 

  
“I decided to continue to accompany the hunters on their hunt for werewolves. I had grown fond of their presence. It was nice being around warm faces that didn’t judge. That night, when we stayed at an inn, I had witnessed my first werewolf attack. It was…terrifying. I had read and heard stories about them, but I had never seen anything so ferocious and so full of anger and sadness in my entire life. One large brown furred werewolf, probably an alpha, came to me and stood on its hind legs. It was 7 feet or so and it stared me in the eyes as if examining my soul. I froze, nearly peeing myself not only at the stench of its dark coat but the intensity of its glare. Its eyes were slitted, narrowed, golden ring rimming the edge of its irises. It had history and terror behind its gaze.”

 

“I stood so still, not wanting it to engage in an attack. In all of my years of magick, which hadn’t been much at the time, I forgot all teachings of it and threw an unpracticed fire spell at its chest. I kept summoning them, further injuring the great wolf: Eventually running out of mana. It went on all fours, growling and lashing its teeth out at me. I was scared, tears streaming down my cheeks. I was praying to my goddess, hoping she would give me the strength to save myself.

 

  
Then, it all went so fast. A bright yellow and purple light flashed from my body. It was hot, and as soon as it came, it was gone. It was a powerful burst of magick that I didn’t even know I had that sprouted from my body. It was so strong it forced the wolf out of the inn, destroying the marble wall behind it and throwing it several feet away. I had a moment to regain my senses before I ran out, searching for the being at where it was supposed to be; only to find it gone. It was the most mind-boggling thing.

 

 

You would expect it to be in its human form, lying in a heap of rubble, but no. It had no signs of being there. The hunters came soon after and I explained what happened. Not only were they impressed, but they wanted me to stay with them on there stay in Greece. I accepted and we spent 6 months on the beautiful peninsula. It was amazing and terrifying all in itself.  
I still have no explanation for the werewolves disappearance though. The entire time, we never saw him again.”

 

  
“That’s interesting. I’ve never encountered such a creature before, I know of them, but I’ve never heard any of them having any magickal abilities besides transformation.”

 

  
“Me too, that’s why it’s still confusing. I tried looking it up, but nothing really spoke of it. At least, nothing I could read.” Maleficent seemed to ponder something, and you waited for her. It hadn’t occurred to you that you were having a conversation with someone who just an hour ago threatened your life. “There might be something, but the books are in elvish. Can you read elvish?” She asked. You nodded, “Only a few words. I’ve tried teaching myself the language, but I can’t quite grasp it properly.” Maleficent looked you straight in the eyes, a curious look to her. She wanted to say something, you could sense it, but you could tell she was pondering saying it or not.

 

  
“I could teach you.” She spoke suddenly. You almost jumped out of surprise at the underlying request.—Everything before, thrown away. Previous notions and fear was scooped from you and was replaced with excitement. Knowledge, you loved it more than anything in the world. A chance to learn, to be taught something you’ve been wanting to learn about for years; finally within your grasp. Your eyes seemed to sparkle, obvious fulfillment in your bright orbs, sparkling with light flecks of white magick. If Maleficent was taken aback by your gaze, she didn’t show it. Her lips did turn up slightly though, and you managed to catch it.

 

“I would love that.” You whispered, trying to hold back a squeal of delight.

 

  
“Good, then we will start tomorrow then.”

 

 

To be Continued…


	3. Chapter 3

**_Maleficent/Female! Sorceress Reader_ **

 

**_‘The Tale of a Magickal Bard and Her Adventures’ Chapter 3  
_ **

 

_**A mix of Maleficent 2014 and Sleeping Beauty** _

* * *

_“I would love that.” You whispered, trying to hold back a squeal of delight._

__  
  
“Good, then we will start tomorrow then.”

 

“Alright!” You nodded happily before pausing.

 

  
“Maleficent, this entire time I’ve spoken of stories, my stories. Yet, I know nothing of yours.”  
  


 

Maleficent looked off towards the distance, focused on something other than yourself. You wondered if you hit a nerve. If you did, you were truly curious why.

 

 

“You don’t have to tell me. It wasn’t in the agreement, I was just wondering—” she interrupted you.

 

  
“I will tell you a tale. A story, such as yours of a girl.

 

  
She, a fairy lived in the moors. She was kind to all creatures and everyone respected her. One day, she met a boy, a thief. He was cornered by the creatures of the land until she came to him, curious about his reasoning for being there. She spoke to him and found out he was her age.

 

  
After that day, he visited the moors and eventually they became friends and on her 16th birthday, they confessed their love to each other. It was true love: at least that’s what she thought.

 

  
He betrayed her and stole something precious from her. Ever since then, she felt nothing but darkness in her heart. She would never love again.” Maleficent finished.

 

  
“What he did wasn’t right….but I do hope she is able to fall in love again. It’s not necessarily the end for her.” Maleficent pondered this, staring at you, she did not reply, but she seemed to be thinking about your words.

 

  
“Who is she, Maleficent? What’s her name?”

 

  
“It’s unimportant. She is long gone.” Maleficent said, her statement came out harsh, suddenly ending the conversation.

 

  
The rest of the day was spent like this, in silence and you wondered what you did wrong. It was the story, but why? Was the girl in the story Maleficent? You pondered that solution, it’s quite plausible, but you didn’t have the balls to ask her. So, instead, you respected her space. 

  
You both have been walking again. You assumed she was going to lead you to where she lived. The deeper you both went into the moors, the darker it became. Not only did it become night, but the trees were thicker and twisted in terrifying shapes and reflected shadows that could make anyone think that someone was following them. You shivered and went closer to the enchantress.

 

  
Soon, you both came to a dark castle. What you hadn’t noticed before was the lightning and the swirling clouds that surrounded the castle in an eerie aura. It was all a bit traumatizing for you and you squeaked when a lightning bolt landed 5 feet next to you. You cried out, running over the crumbling cobblestone bridge, stumbling upon the large wooden doors in front of you. You waited for Maleficent to arrive next to you and when she did, she appeared to have a snide smirk on her face.

 

  
It amused her to see you so scared it seems.

 

  
Well, even after all the stories, she still found enjoyment in your anxiety.

 

  
Maleficent waved her staff and the doors creaked open. Inside, the castle was just as dark. The foyer, and probably the rest of the castle was covered in cobblestone interior along with moss and dust. It was certainly something you’d find in a book. In the corner of your eye, you could spot little creatures scuttling around to what you assumed were Maleficent’s servants.

 

  
A caw from Maleficent’s crow startled you out of your thoughts and he unlatched himself from her shoulder and flew to the middle of the foyer before transforming into a human form. Your mouth dropped wide as the crow became a human man with dark hair and pale skin.

 

  
“Wh-what?” You sputter out stupidly, surprised this entire time that Maleficent failed to mention her companion was a human in disguise…or a crow in disguise. Who knows which one it was. He walked up to you and introduced himself as Diaval.

 

  
You reached forward, offering your hand, “Nice to meet you Diaval. I had no idea you were a shapeshifter…how interesting.” He took your hand, which was surprisingly warm. “I’m not much of a shapeshifter. Actually, Maleficent was the one who gave me this form.”   
  


 

“Oh. Well, it’s nice.” You said bashfully.

 

  
“Thank you.” He gave a brief smile before looking towards Maleficent. He seemed friendly enough, you might grow fond of him during your time here.

 

  
“You will stay in one of the guest rooms. Diaval will show you where. I will have a servant fetch you when we have dinner. Tomorrow, we will study Elvish.” Maleficent spoke to you and you turned to face her and nodded.

 

  
“Yes, I understand. Thank you, Maleficent.” You smiled genuinely. She did not return it and instead looked elsewhere before walking off. You sighed, staring at the space she once stood at. Diaval then spoke, “Alright, I’ll show you to your room. I’ll send a servant to help you with washing up before dinner.”

 

  
“You’re too kind, Diaval. How did you end up being Maleficent’s companion?” You asked, following him as he headed up the cobblestone trail of stairs that lead down a long hallway.

 

  
“It happened a while ago. I will not relay it for it is private, but she is not as bad as you think.” You raised an eyebrow.

 

“Really?”

 

  
“It’s hard to prove now because she doesn’t necessarily trust you. I even thought it was surprising when she offered to teach you Elvish.” He mentioned. “How come? Has she not taught anyone before?”

 

  
“No.” He shook his head and you gazed at him, uncertain about how you feel about that. You decided to stay silent after to think. He eventually took you to a decent looking room with less dust than the rest of the castle and left. You examined the room. It was large, with a king sized bed, deep red sheets, a large window with a torn curtain covering it, a tiny mahogany desk and a bookshelf and dresser in the corner of the room. There was also a vanity across the bed which was decently sized. Next to the desk was a wooden door, which you assumed led to the bathing chamber. Opening the door, you peeked through and confirmed it. The bathroom has a large marble tub with golden rimmed trim, a large vanity with a mirror above it as well.–And a place to do your business in. It was all nice and you enjoyed the feel this room had.

 

  
You went back into the bedroom, collapsed on the bed and waited for the servant to arrive with the hot water for the bath. Your mind wandered at how things have changed so quickly. First, you stole jewels from the king and now you were staying with a powerful sorceress. What a day it was.

* * *

  
The dress you were given after bathing was interesting. It was beautiful and dark. With its elegant appeal of dark trimming and lace not to mention a v-neck that was modest but still showed off some bust, the corset you wore was dark as well and helped push up your breasts. The sleeves of your dress were mid-length, ending at your elbow, cuffed and detailed with more lace. It was fancier than your normal neutral toned skirts and dress shirts. You decided to compliment the dress and put up your hair and adorned it with a beautiful golden comb. After, you slipped on some nice pair of lace stockings and your old pair of combat boots. You finished dressing, and a servant came and lead you down to the dining hall.

 

  
Similar to the rest of the castle in its gloomy appeal, the long table rested in the middle of the room. Many chairs on either side, yet only one person sat at the head of it. Maleficent seemed to have waited for you to arrive.

 

How…kind?

 

  
She didn’t speak when you walked in. The servant led you to the other end of the table and pulled out your chair and you sat, thanking them and waited for your food to arrive. You folded your hands in your lap, all of a sudden nervous to be in front of Maleficent. Her gaze was directed towards you, staring. You could feel her eyes trailing up your body, but she still said nothing.

 

  
Your breath became shallow as anxiety consumed you once again. Did you do something wrong? Were you supposed to say something? Did something happen? Was there something on your face? You glanced to your left, staring at a long mirror and found that nothing was off with your appearance before looking up at Maleficent.

 

  
“Am I late?” You asked, trying to keep your voice strong.

 

  
“Not at all. The food will be here shortly.” She said. She didn’t say or mention anything else and you could tell she wasn’t one for conversation unless it revolved around magick.

 

  
“I’m quite excited to learn Elvish with you. I think it’s about time to study magickal languages, and I think it will help me greatly. Is there any way I can repay you?” You spoke quickly, almost in need to have a conversation to banish the awkward air that filled the room. Maleficent’s eyes seemed to glow as you spoke, a renewed interest settled upon her and you felt grateful for this.

 

“I’ll think about it.” She replied and as soon as she said that, a servant appeared with a dinner trolley. Plates of chicken, vegetables, and soup were placed in front of you. Another servant came around with a bottle of red wine and poured the crimson liquid into your glass.

 

  
Dinner was delicious and filling. The meal consisted of silence and the cutting of cutlery. This silence was much more comfortable as you settled into your chair. You did take a chance to glance at Maleficent with a watchful eye. Her manners were poised and slow, arms and fingers arched delicately to spoon the food to her blood red lips. Her expression was neutral, eyes glowed a subtle gold. She was not focused on you, but she seemed to notice your long glances, yet did not speak about it. Only the twitch of her lips into a playful smirk alerted you of her knowledge, sending a tingle up your spine.

 

  
You washed down the meal with the rich wine. It was very delicious, with hints of cherry and spice, you felt slightly buzzed and more comfortable.

 

  
After dinner, you were escorted to your room so you could sleep early for the next day. The room was cold as it was before, but the wine did help significantly in raising your body temperature. You changed into a black nightgown and slipped into bed.

 

  
This day was probably the longest of your life, but also very interesting. You met an enchantress willing to teach you an ancient language which could lead to the success of old magick. How wondrous it was, you thought quaintly as your lids shut and sleep consumed you.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, this was written a year ago. In fact, this whole story was written a year ago but is under reconstruction and re-writing. I just wanted to share what I wrote, but there will be a better version of it, slowly being posted. Don't worry. Most of the story won't be changed, just grammar, spelling and writing mistakes will be fixed and re-written as well as plot holes and just anything that sounds like crap. I would love some constructive criticism in the comments because I love reading comments and talking to people, so don't be afraid to say something! :)


	4. Chapter 4

Maleficent/Female! Sorceress Reader

‘The Tale of a Magickal Bard and Her Adventures’ Chapter 4  
A mix of Maleficent 2014 and Sleeping Beauty

 

Learning Elvish was like trying to clean an alligator’s teeth, in fact, you’d probably have an easier job cleaning the alligator’s teeth than learning the language. 

 

You had a bit of trouble with the pronunciation. And remembering the meaning of the words…..and symbols and grammar, and just about everything else.

 

Maleficent wasn’t a terrible teacher. She was knowledgeable on the topic. She spoke as if she were part of the native tongue. She talked about proper phrasing and enunciation as well as the history of the language itself. But the problem itself was that she was not patient. In fact, she spoke quickly, moving on from lesson 0 to 5 in just an hour. 

 

You had a hard time remembering words and when you messed up a phrase Maleficent stood from her chair, the wooden legs scraping against the floor and slammed the book in front of you. This startled you, the sudden noise almost made you fall out of your chair so you had to grip onto the desk for dear life. 

 

Maleficent paced over to the large window and stared out of it in silence. A deep feeling of regret settled in your stomach. You wanted to give up on this altogether, but something inside of you told you to stay. So you stood up and quietly walked over to the sulking enchantress. 

 

“Maleficent…” You said, keeping your words strong and steady yet light enough to not aggravate her further. She tilted her head towards you but did not look away from the window.  
“I’m sorry if I upset you. I’m trying to understand what you’re teaching me, I’m just not able to grasp it properly yet. I do enjoy this….—”

 

“I like the language. You obviously know what you are talking about and it feels good to learn from someone instead of being self-taught. I just need you to be a bit slower in your teaching.”  
She was silent. You weren’t sure if you got to her at all. Deep within you, you hoped she would look at you, maybe even smile in understanding, but the coldness of her nature would bereave her of such emotions.

 

After a few moments of waiting, you sighed. She did not budge and you looked away sadly. “Alright. I’ll give you some space…” You whispered before turning away to leave the room.   
You ate dinner alone that night, which didn’t surprise you. Maleficent seemed emotionally stagnant, which wasn’t a bad thing, but it held her back quite a bit. Learning elvish turned out to be more of a task than expected. 

 

Dinner was good, which was nice since you didn’t eat lunch because of the lesson stretching as long as it did. You filled yourself up with wine, warming up from the cold walls of the castle. After you had your fill you stood and called Diaval to you. 

 

“Where’s the library?” You asked, Diaval rose a brow, “In the east wing, I could show you. Why so late, if I may ask?” 

 

“I…” Pondering whether or not to tell him the reason, you decided that it would be best to tell him since he has been so kind to you. “Well, I want to study Elvish. I didn’t do too well today and I kind of pissed off Maleficent because of that. I think that if I go over the lessons we read through today, I’ll eventually get it….I hope.” Diaval nodding in understanding and lead the way. He retrieved a lantern as you both traversed through the dark castle.

 

You ended up at the library in a few moments. Diaval handed the lantern to you and you thanked him once again. Entering the library going to the far reaches of the room, you placed the lantern on the wooden desk. The books from earlier were still on the table so you didn’t have to search from Maleficent’s wide collection. 

 

With a deep breath, you sat down and began your studying. You wanted to learn Elvish, but also impress Maleficent. If you impressed her, maybe she wouldn’t be so mad. Hope was something you relied on, but something else you relied on more was luck. You needed both at this point in time.

 

Hours later after you began your studying, you started to pick up on the language and its particular sequence of plurals and connaissances, the problems of earlier were becoming smaller as you studied the letters and phrases. Focusing long and hard, you barely noticed Diaval’s arrival. He set down a porcelain cup next to you; the rattling startled you out of your thought process. 

 

“I thought you would like some tea. It’s Earl Grey. It will help you stay up.” He informed with a smile. His eyes glanced curiously over what you were reading as you looked up with an appreciative look. “I don’t know how many times I can thank you. You’ve done a lot and you barely know me.” You murmured before lifting the cup to your lips. The taste of the tea was strong, only a little bit of sugar to not overpower the flavor.

 

“You don’t need to do anything. I’m just thankful for the company you give. It’s nice seeing a new face around.” 

 

“Likewise.” 

 

He stretched a bit, “Well, I’ll leave you to your studying. I’m guessing you’ll be here all night, so I wish you luck.” Humming back, you heard the door shut behind him. You took another sip before glancing at the tanned pages. Breathing in deeply at the work ahead of you, you got started immediately.

 

A light hit your lids and you wretched out of sleep. You opened your eyes to see gray light from outside poking through the large window to your left. Yawning, you felt a warm wool blanket on your back and thought of Diaval. 

 

‘Such a good friend.’ You thought warmly. 

 

Sitting up you turned around just in time to see Maleficent creep into the room. Worry sparked inside of you, but instead of showing it, you slapped on a kind smile. 

 

“Morning Maleficent.” Her gold eyes stared at you curiously. 

 

“Quite early to be in the library.” 

 

“Uh, yeah.” 

 

“Did you sleep?” She asked, a frown on her face. Smiling even wider you replied, “Yes.” She stared at the bags under your eyes, “Right.” She walked over to one of the bookshelves and reached over to the middle shelf, pulling out a thick, old looking book. 

 

“Whatcha doing?” You wandered over to her, looking at the book she was holding.

 

“Grabbing a book.” She replied back. “For?” Her gold eyes glanced at you before looking away. 

 

“For a spell.” Your mouth formed an ‘O’ shape. “May I watch?” You could see her jaw clench and you bit your lip. 

 

“Fine.” You could hear the sharp exhale from her nose. Internally squealing as you were to witness an experienced sorceress work was exciting. Following behind her as she strolled through the hallways, you could feel the excitement build up. You had a hard time keeping up with her as she seemed to be speed walking away from you, that or it’s because her legs are really long. So, longer strides which means more work for you. But the idea of seeing Maleficent do what she does best was what made it worth it.

 

The stairs of the castle were long and spiraling, giving the anxiety of slipping and falling off the side very real. The cobblestone was crumbling away, but Maleficent showed no reaction to it. She was not worried, so why were you?

 

‘Maybe because I have emotions’ You cringed at your thoughts, Maleficent has emotions, she just has them buried. Really, really, deep. She probably had them stored in a box somewhere.

 

Reaching the top of the castle, in the highest tower was the cauldron room. Or something like that. There wasn’t a name for a room like this and a spell room didn’t sound right. In the middle on top of a tiny cage which held dark wood was a large cauldron. Behind it, tables lined with vials and bottles along with ingredients and books scatter atop its surface. In the corners of the room were dark cauldrons in different sizes with lettering scribed into them, some with designs, others with plain coatings. 

 

The room smelled of sandalwood and mandrake. It was very peculiar because mandrake smells rusty if that was a way to describe it. You moved over to the tables and stared at each jar and vial. A few had gross looking liquids while others had animal parts or dried plants. You noticed a mortar and pestle coated with a green paste. Examining the pestle, you lifted it to your nose. Rosemary and…sweetgrass? 

 

“What is this all for?” You turned around, seeing Maleficent summon a flame under the cauldron. 

 

“A potion.” You frowned, “I know that, but what potion? I don’t recognize the combination.” 

 

“I’m working on a special poison. You could never have too much of those.” 

 

“Oh.”

 

You observed Maleficent work around the room gathering things while the cauldron preheated. You stood awkwardly wanting to help, but you could sense Maleficent’s irritation and not wanting to further it, you remained silent.

 

A smile crossed your face as the potion was started. Liquids were thrown into the big pot, and eventually, the herbal paste was as well. Maleficent was reading from the book, following each step carefully. She moved with such grace and experience it left you in awe. She never hesitated and kept pace, throwing each ingredient without regret or having to re-read the lines in the book. In fact, she didn’t even have to look long, as it seemed that she knew most of the requirements already. 

 

The mixture boiled, creating steam that floated around the room. The potion was coming along, and it was starting to smell sweet. The smell was enticing, but that was probably the point of the potion. To lure and kill its victim. 

 

Moments later, Maleficent bottled the mixture and sat it on a shelf. Watching her work was very insightful and it made you want to be like her someday. With poise and grace that aired power and strength. 

 

You then remembered to mention something you’ve been working hard on for several hours in hopes to improve her mood towards you. “Maleficent.” You called out, ending the silence. Maleficent turned to you, “I want to try again.” 

 

Silence ensued and it became a stare off. Your eyes were pleading. You wanted to continue her lessons. She had so much knowledge to give and you wanted to suck it up like a sponge. 

 

“I know.”

 

“What?” You had to stop yourself from looking physically alarmed.

 

“I saw you last night studying away. I’ll admit, I’m impressed by your determination.” Her red lips stretched into a small smile. Your heart skipped a beat as a tingle went up your spine. How is she able to do this to you?

 

“Shall we go then?” You asked. She nodded, motioning you forward. Following the steps back to the library, you placed yourself in the familiar seat, Maleficent joining you.

 

“We’ll go over what you read last night and then move on. I realized my mistake….I went too fast. If I’m going to teach you, I need to take more care of the lessons. I’ll slow down a bit.” Maleficent really surprised you. It’s like each time you meet up with her, there’s something new you learn about this mysterious woman. 

 

Maleficent was like a book. Each page you turned there was a new mystery to unfold. This definitely kept things interesting. 

 

“….Thank you. I’ll try my very best to learn what you teach.” Maleficent nodded and proceeded with the lessons. You both spent 5 hours learning more of the elven language. You began more advanced phrases, rolling your tongue over unfamiliar yet familiar words. 

 

Apparently, there are different types of Elvish. Maleficent flipped to a book, going into one of the many types, discussing the writing mechanics of this strange and complicated language. 

 

“When will we get into the spells?”

 

“When you understand the language.” you sighed, exasperated. “That might take forever! There are so many different types, and the written part is so hard!” 

 

“Do you want to stop?”

 

You froze, “N-No. I’m sorry. I–I’m just tired. Please continue.” Maleficent scowled and closed the book. 

 

“What are you doing? I said I can continue, I don’t want to stop.” You spoke quickly, growing slightly panicked that Maleficent finally gave up on you. You shouldn’t have complained. It was a mistake. You didn’t mean it.—well you did, but she didn’t need to know that.

 

“Go get some rest.” She said. There was a type of monotone to her voice, but it did not sound like you thought it would. She was not irritated with you. “You’re tired, right? We’ll continue tomorrow. Go, rest for now. I’ll send a servant to fetch you for dinner.” Maleficent waved you off, golden eyes glancing in any other direction except you. You gaped at her but immediately caught yourself after. 

 

“I–Thank you.”

 

“You say that phrase a lot.” She mentioned boredly. 

 

You jumped up, “Because I mean it. You’ve done a lot for me. I just want you to know I appreciate it.” Maleficent sighed, “Alright, now go.” 

 

“Okay.” and you left the room.

 

To be continued…


End file.
